Maria's Third Blog Post: The Brumpie?

On Sunday April 5^th, Victoria’s Secret model Doutzen Kroes posted to Instagram a black-and-white photo of her pumping her breast milk. She captioned it by saying, “Daily routine! I’m promoting breastfeeding, it’s the best for your baby when possible!”  The picture gave rise to talk about “breast pump selfies” or better yet “brumpies.”

 

Commenters had a surprising reaction to the photo, since breast feeding is a highly controversial matter. Comments such as “encouraging” and “wonderful” filled the Instagram post. Many users also used the hashtag #normalizebreastfeeding to show their support. Others, however, questioned the model’s intent for posting such a picture.

Kroes isn’t the first celebrity to post this kind of photo. Kourtney Kardashian and Gisele have taken similar pictures. Celebrity breastfeeding pictures can be intimidating because they are typically doused in glamour; the celebrities are surrounded by makeup artists (like Gisele) or in an extravagant dress. Kroes breast pump picture, however, can be seen as relatable. It can give viewers a sense of familiarity since a celebrity, a Victoria’s Secret model for that matter, has to actually pump her breast milk.

Femininity is highlighted in the photo with obvious cues. The message that is sent across and through to viewers is a much more important matter to focus on though. Kroes is supporting breastfeeding and trying to send a message out to her followers that it is natural and shouldn’t be kept behind closed doors.

Elise Solé said it best in her article, “being exposed to diverse images of strong, multi-faceted women openly blending the demands of motherhood with their professional lives is always a step in the right direction."